Omalizumab (marketed under the name Xolair®) is a monoclonal antibody made by Genentech / Novartis and used mainly in allergy-related asthma therapy, with the purpose of reducing allergic hypersensitivity. The drug, which is administered subcutaneously, binds to immunoglobulin E (IgE), a substance commonly related to allergies when present in high amounts in the body. Omalizumab works by blocking the receptor of IgE (FcεRI). This prevents IgE from attaching to a group of histamine-producing cells known as mast cells and basophils, which are responsible for finally making the symptoms of the allergy apparent. For this reason, omalizumab is commonly referred to as an anti-IgE antibody.
Due to the lack of sufficient information on the long-term effectiveness and side effects of the drug, omalizumab treatment is not yet very common, and can be expensive. Additionally, as IgE could be a natural defense against parasitic diseases, treatment is usually not recommended when living in environments where the presence of parasites is common.
Recent research suggests that IgE might play an important role in the immune system's recognition of cancer cells[1], so indiscriminate blocking of IgE / receptor interaction might have unforeseen problems.
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